Python 2.6 has been released on October 1st. The major theme of this release is preparing the migration path to Python 3.0, a major redesign of the language. Whenever possible, Python 2.6 incorporates new features and syntax from 3.0 while remaining compatible with existing code by not removing older features or syntax. See the what's new docs for more details.

I totally agree with you. I used Perl for about seven years, pretty heavily, before getting into Python.

I tried to learn Python a couple of times, but like others have said, the whitespace thing through me off totally. In mid-2005, I took a contract with IBM, and the group I worked with was heavily into Python, so I bought "Learning Python" and the rest is history. Like parent said, I do not even notice the whitespace thing any longer, and find the readability of Python to be head and shoulders above Perl (and most other languages as well).

Advice to those who still scoff at Python because of enforced whitespace rules: Just try it. Grab a copy of "A Byte of Python" or perhaps "Dive into Python" and just do it, you really won't be sorry.